The invention relates to a sealing system disposed in the aperture through a housing wall, for an essentially vertical shaft with an active sealing element which is disposed between a structural part rotating with the shaft and a structural part stationary on a housing, with the housing wall separating an upper, oil-free volume from a lower oil-containing volume.
Sealing systems of this type are used for example in a vacuum pump such as is described in DE-A-42 33 142. In the case of vacuum pumps of this type the elimination of the heat generated in the rotating system presents problems. It develops, for one, due to the compression work of the rotors in their suction chambers and, for another, through the heat due to friction of the contact seals (radial shaft sealing) used.